DocsMetrics panel
Overview
Metrics are various statistics related to timelines, that reveal a process from different angles. When you upload data to the project, Timeline automatically calculates default metrics and displays them in the Metrics panel.
When you work with the Metrics panel, they always show statistics for the currently selected timelines. Pay attention to the filters that select the timelines to explore in the Current section at the top. To learn more, see Impact of current filters on other tools.
The Metrics panel is static. You cannot change the metric types presented here. However, you can create custom metrics to learn more about processes and workflow. For example, user-defined metrics are needed to configure Charts. For instructions on custom metrics, see Metrics.
Workspace
By default, the Metrics panel is represented as a toolbar.
If you expand the toolbar by clicking the double arrows, the metrics preview opens, organized as a ribbon on the right of the program. You can pin the ribbon to save this display view while working with analysis modules.
Each preview relates to a certain metric and shows a short metric name, average, maximum, and minimum values of the metric. To calculate some statistics, the program uses events as a main component. Therefore, you can see an additional block with information about events in the panel.
Events
Overview statistics of events presented in timelines. Metrics are sensitive to event adjustment, as metrics consider the number of events and time gaps between them, cost of events, etc. To learn more about the Events block in the Metrics panel, see Events section in the Metrics panel.
Duration
Shows the overall duration of timelines. This metric calculates the duration of each timeline and shows summary statistics for currently selected timelines. The Duration of timelines window opens by clicking on this preview.
Time gap
Shows the maximum time between two adjacent events in each timeline. The Maximum gap per timeline window opens by clicking on this preview.
Count
Shows the number of events in timelines. The Event count per timeline window opens by clicking on this preview.
Count unique
Shows the number of distinct events per timeline.
The Unique event count per timeline window opens by clicking on this preview.
Cost
Displays the cost of timelines. The Cost metric appears when you configure a cost at least for one event in Cost configuration. Only events with configured costs are calculated.
The Cost per timeline window opens by clicking on this preview.
The metrics previews allow getting familiar with main the aspects of the process. Click the icon in the toolbar or click the metrics preview in the expanded ribbon to open more detailed statistics and configure additional settings in the metric window. You can break the metric down by dimension and create filters based on the selection created from metrics. The principle of working with the metric window is the same for all metrics in the panel. For more details, see Metrics window.
Metrics window
To open the metrics window, click the corresponding icon in the toolbar, or click the metrics preview in the expanded ribbon with previews. The metrics window displays detailed statistics for timelines. Here you can find:
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Average, minimum, and maximum metric values.
For time dimensions, you can select a step for minimum and maximum values representation.
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Definitions of the metrics range: min - max, 75 percentiles, 90 percentiles.
You can change it under the average value. Once configured, it is applied to all metrics in the panel. When you select a range, sliders on the histogram adjust automatically.
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A detailed interactive histogram.
Sliders show the borders of the exploration values. For the chosen gap, the number and ratio of the belonging timelines show from the currently selected timelines. See Working with histogram below to learn more.
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Breakdown by dimensions
Select a dimension to see its distribution for the currently selected timelines in descending order. Changing borders on the histogram does not influence the dimensional data.
Click the certain dimension value to display its chart as a main histogram.
For more information, see Dimensions.
Working with histograms
In the center of the metrics window there is an interactive histogram. Sliders show the borders of the exploration values. For the chosen gap, the number and ratio of the belonging timelines are shown.
Move the sliders to choose the area to discover. You will see the number of timelines related to the selected zone and the outer zones. The number and ratio from the overall timelines are always linked to the currently selected timelines.
You can use histograms for filtration. When you move sliders on the histogram, the zone in focus is colored orange. Click Apply to create a filter that selects timelines that fit the orange zone. The corresponding filter appears in the Current section.
Explore dimensional data of the selected timelines relative to a certain metric:
- Click +Select dimension....
- Choose an event (or all events) and an attribute in the Dimensions window.
- Click Select.
You will see how timelines belonging to a metric statistic distribute along the attribute values. Click a certain dimension to open its histogram. You will see the explorable attribute name at the top of the window. Now you can create a filter additionally based on the dimensional data for the metrics.
Events section in the Metrics panel
The Metrics panel includes a block with summary event statistics. It shows the number of events, number of unique events, number of hidden events, and event status.
To see detailed information about events, click the Events section. The Select event window opens. Here you can set up events appearance in timelines, include or exclude timelines with a certain event, and set categories and icons for events. For more information about the events statistics and settings, see Events.
Event status
A timeline can include identical events when the same event appears several times in series. For example, the timeline consists of the following events: Create - Assign - Hold - Hold - Hold - Close. The Hold event appears 3 times in a row.
You can choose how to treat these events in the analysis and timelines. There are 2 statuses of the identical events, that are shown in the Events section:
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Expanded
The program considers all identical events and includes all of them into timelines. By default, this option is selected.
In this case, the timeline from the example consists of the following: Create - Assign - Hold - Hold - Hold - Close.
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Collapsed
Only the latest of the identical events in a row is shown in timelines and appears in analysis modules.
In this case, the timeline from the example consists of the following: Create - Assign - Hold - Close. Only the last Hold appears in the analysis, others are excluded.
The way you choose to deal with identical events influences statistics and timelines. In case the application uses the Collapsed status, the number of events reduces, time gaps between events change, etc.
Set the event status
To select the status of identical events:
- Navigate to the Timelines analysis module. Select Timelines in the drop-down list under the project's name.
- In Display > Identical events, select:
- Expand to set the Expanded status for identical events.
- Separate to set the Collapsed status for identical events.
